In the beginning, writing stories or articles on technique became a hobby. Now it’s a job. In just two short years, I have been shifting my energies toward more outdoor related work and the road getting there is time consuming. From a quiet, self-taught deer hunter to a pro staffer for some of the largest outdoor manufacturing companies in North America, it’s never been a dull moment. I joined Bear Archery this year because of their constant push to increase performance and quality, and because of the decent people whom I work with. Working with great people is half of the formula for success. With so many good broadhead manufacturers out there, I’m constantly asked “Why are you with Muzzy? So-and-so makes a really good broadhead”. That may be true but in the end, my broadheads have never failed me and the people behind the company are the FIRST to respond to a donation when it comes to charitable, special needs people and whitetail organizations. Muzzy’s coments are always “How can we help Marc”. Companies like these are important to remember when it comes time to making a decision on what to purchase. It’s these companies that keep fighting for our hunting privileges. Bottom line: I’m glad to be a voice for them!

My new blog is located at: http://www.heartlandoutdoors.com/index.php/nontypical/ . Please stop by and visit! I’m not asking you to abandon PSO but rather asking you to add Heartland Outdoors to your list of online reading material. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to serve Illinois’ (and beyond) sportsmen/women to date. I wish you nothing but good fortune for the 2010 hunting season!

Farewell. Marc

Friday morning opened very well with great weather and some normal activity. After doing my duty and killing a west central IL. doe, I pushed forward in my quest to find one of the big bucks I have patterned this year. No such luck for me but nevertheless, the hunt was an enjoyable one. Back in central IL. on Sunday and today, I had more deer in front of me than I did ALL of last year combined! What a change from last year and even the last decade. With the corn out and the deer moving back into the timber, it was evident this year will be paramount to any other I’ve hunted in this area, as far as quantity goes. With many does, fork horns and fawns to choose from, I decided to let them all live. I would rather take another doe, where it’s needed in west central IL, than here in central IL. where I haven’t seen them thrive before. One odd thing happened today though. I watched a mature doe come out of the timber at 3:00 P.M. to feed, which is a bit early this time of year. Right behind her was a mature 3.5 year old 8 pointer with his nose to her rear-end. She allowed him to follower her with no signs of distress. Another buck showed up from another direction and he dropped his ears and marched forward with authority. The other buck held his ground and there was a stand-off for about 5 solid minutes. The original buck decided it wasn’t worth his energy, so he casually walked back to the doe and began sniffing. Eventually, they all walked off quietly into the woods.

I haven’t seen his type of activity this early. I would expect bachelor groups to spar and to remain grouped but I haven’t even seen bachelor groups in the 100+ miles I hunt from farm-to-farm!. Unless someone here tells me differently, I believe they’re already busted up! This could break my early harvest plan to pieces if I don’t positively identify what’s happening and act accordingly. I’m going to hunt closer to the bedding areas and the sanctuaries this week and test the waters. I’m also going to hit the staging areas in the evenings to see if they’re still in preseason mode. If not, I’ll go directly to plan B. Don’t ask me what plan B is, I haven’t planned it out yet!

I’m curious to see what you are seeing! Are you seeing anything else different this year? Is it about the same? Let me know your thoughts!

About 7:50 a.m., I noticed a doe to my left about 30 yards just trotting on by. There wasn’t a lot of time for me to lift my bow but I did it as fast as I could without spooking her. She turned to the right and walked to just 10 yards in front of me, appearing to me that she was going to continue to walk away. Then she stopped and turned right toward me, head on. My plan of action was to let her walk out a bit for two reasons: One, so I could allow ample time to see if there was one of the bucks that I’ve patterned, was following her and two, I didn’t want to draw in front of her. I would have rather let her pass a bit before drawing and take the rear quartering away shot, which is by far one of the most lethal shots there are, including the broadside shot. As luck would have it, she started to walk right toward me though. Now I was forced to draw and shoot her. Why? Because if I didn’t, she would have no doubt winded me at 1 yard and spooked herself, any following deer and would have left me with no meat or antlers. I figured if I at least shot her then, I would have a doe, even if I spooked any remaining deer. My intention was to take a doe this week but I wanted to be incognito as possible while doing it. Anyway, she watched me draw and she STILL came toward me. She had no clue what I was and never winded me. A Ghillie suit loaded with so much carbon that it makes your hands turn black just by getting dressed, is a deadly combination! I had to say to her “No trespassing”, so she would stop. When she did, she realized something wasn’t right, so she turned to my right and began to bolt. Too late for her though. She piled up 40 yards later. Yummy! I love to shoot does. This is the first doe I’ve shot in years due to the lack of them where I have been hunting. If you look close enough, you can see her legs sticking out of the wagon that’s being pulled by my four wheeler, in my “politically correct” photo. I’m looking forward to shooting more!

I didn’t see anything else but one nice buck all day and he didn’t want to play, so it was back to camp. Yes, I camped out last night only to be woken by coyotes fighting over my dead doe at 2:30 a.m.! I had to run them off, in the rain, which also stunk. I ended up sleeping in my truck for the remaining 2 hours. From there, I hunted until 11:00 and said “Enough is enough!” I need scent control, sleep and more sleep, so I drove back home. There is always next week!

Any other eventful opening day stories to share? Bring them on!

My sleeping quarters :-(

My kitchen!

I’ve opted for two places to hunt tomorrow, depending on the wind. One place I’ll have to pack it in and go deep. It will require a soft foot and a careful path with regard to the wind as I don’t want my scent to be blown into the direction I will anticipate deer to be. My footsteps will sound like a deer’s footsteps while I walk and my clothes will be bagged until the last minute. One thing I’ve learned from the past is to be virgin clean going in on opening day! Even over time when your grounds get a heavier dose of your scent, deer will be accustomed to it! They will eventually proceed with more caution but they will accept it. The opening day though, is the big surprise for them or for you, depending how you look at it. If your woods have been free from human scent for months and then on opening day they wind a heavy plume of you, they won’t go anywhere near you. If over time they wind small amounts of human scent, they’ll work around it and begin to accept the danger and maneuver around the area anyway. I’ve watched deer scope farmers out while working in the timber and in their fields with little to no surprise. They won’t even spook most of the time by hearing farm equipment but they will dash like mad hearing the sound of a four wheeler! Certain things they associate with danger with and others they learn to live with. Don’t give them a heavy dose of your scent on opening day! Be stealth-like and enjoy what could be the most relaxed hunt all year!

I’m going to stay in the woods all day, so I’m packing food and water. I have an area that I’m sure contains the quality deer I’m looking for, so I feel it’s inevitable to be there every possible minute hoping to catch that opportunity to present itself. By staying in all day, you lessen the chance of spooking deer by walking in and out of your hunting grounds displaying your whereabouts each and every time. The best way to hunt these animals, in my opinion, is to act like it’s YOU that is being hunted! Being less exposed and remaining low keyed is the best way to smoke a relaxed buck or doe. HIDE like you’re the target.

I am taking my portable internet device to hopefully upload any exciting developments, whether they be from me or you! Send pictures and/or stories of your bow hunt to me and I’ll start posting them when I get a chance. Like mentioned before, I really think this will be a banner year for Illinois hunters for many reasons, so get out there, don’t take any chances or get lazy. Be safe and remember it’s not worth taking someone else’s life, or your own, if you are in doubt of your target! 

Do it right, do it safe and for crying out loud, have fun whether or not you harvest anything!

You know, it doesn’t help having a Facebook account. Sitting back and watching all of the bordering states and beyond open their seasons , days and sometimes weeks before ours, one cannot help but to salivate over the harvested buck pictures that show up every day! KY, MN, OH, KS, ND, etc, etc, seem to be having some relatively good harvests coming in. It’s got my blood flowing enough to motivate me in getting things ready early. This is my favorite time of year as I love hunting the early season. I’ve got a couple of bucks mapped out as well as I possibly can, so all I can do from here is wait until the opener and hit the timber.

I’m planning on several all day hunts opening week. I’ll be packing food and water with the intention of stalking an entire area where I believe 2 bucks hide out. Even in the slower parts of the day, around noon or so, I’m looking forward in catching a snoozing buck on a hillside off guard. With the ground assault, it’s never dull! Always on the move (even if it’s 80 yards every 2 hours), there’s always a chance for action as compared to hunting just the mornings and afternoons. The binoculars will be my best friend as they will give me the opportunity to “reach out”, way past my scent zone, for a long range view of what’s happening on the other side. There’s nothing better than finding a bedded buck in the early afternoon. Chances are he’ll be there for quite some time giving me the opportunity to circumnavigate his position for an ambush from behind. It’s an awesome type of hunt! The only issues I’ve had with this scenario is being busted by bachelor bucks that I DIDN’T see when moving and relocating. Other than that, it’s the “creme de la creme” of deer hunting if you were to ask me!

So it’s 4 days and 3 sleepless nights away. I do this every year and by the time opening day gets here, I’m exhausted. I lay in bed and go over and over how I’m going to approach the attack. One thing for sure, once I’m in the woods, I’ll throw all of those dreams out the window as there will undoubtedly be something else that will get my attention! Who knows where I’ll end up? That is why I love it so much! Northing’s for sure or guaranteed. It’s hunting in the real world and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Here are a few tips if you happen to shoot a deer that you want to mount. Follow these tips as they are easy and will prevent a lot of heartache! First, after shooting your deer, try not to drag the deer in any manner that will allow the head and neck area to scrape against the ground. You DON’T want the hair to be rubbed off and/or damaged. Field dress the deer right away to prevent more intestinal gas from building up and forcing gas into the capillaries and arteries. You will then need to cut off the head about 4” BEHIND the front legs! If in doubt, cut it longer! A short cape is almost worthless to a taxidermist, especially if you want a shoulder mount. Now when I say cut the head off I mean cut the CAPE 4” behind the front legs and roll it up as you cut. You can actually cut the head off at the neck (at the shortest point of the neck). You can keep rolling up the hide toward the head as you cut by taking your time and very carefully separating the hide from the meat. You can stop when you get close to the jaw. From there, you can simply just cut the neck off. Now you don’t have to lug that neck around with the head and you can place it in a bag which can then be refrigerated. Leave the face for your taxidermist and DON’T try to remove it! Believe me, you’ll do more damage than good if you attempt the face.

It is of utmost importance to COOL DOWN THAT HIDE! I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, bacteria will form on that hide if you don’t cool it down causing “slipping”. Slipping is where the hair will fall off! Many times you won’t even notice it until after the cape is tanned and by that time, you’ll be liable for the tanning costs. So get it cooled down! Besides, if you gut it, clean it and cool it down in a speedy fashion, you won’t get that “gamy” taste some people complain about! No such thing as gamy. Gamy taste is spoiled meat…period! Yes, there are some animals that have a strong taste but this gamy taste most hunters refer to is just poorly prepared meat! Think of it this way: Meat processors kill, clean and refrigerate meat in a flash to preserve flavor and you should too! Yes, you can age it by hanging it but clean it and cool it down first!

Here are some pictures for you to look at:

Notice how far back the front legs are! Make sure you cut behind these legs for ample hide to cover the mount.

Notice where the legs should begin on this mount. You MUST have enough hide to wrap around the back of this form! If you are getting a pedestal mount done, you’ll need even more! Bottom line, if in doubt, cut more, not less. One last bit of advice is to NOT cut the brisket area which is between the two front legs or your taxidermist will have to sew that area and he may charge you extra. You can still field dress the deer by stopping the incision 4’ back from the front legs.

OK, now kill a deer !

My first article was about my old “string” method I used in my attempt to locate monster bucks. I received many comical emails asking me if I was serious. From there I was chided and complemented as time progressed and learned to just accept what my readers were saying, no matter if I agreed with them or not. The bottom line: What I learned here was well worth the time and I certainly hope my readers have learned a little bit from me! I’ll admit the reciprocation of ideas from my readers was a great learning experience. I personally think once a person thinks he knows it all, it’s all over for him/her, so my advice to anyone who cares is to always keep an open mind and consider what the other person has to say before shutting them down. It’s something I’ve had to learn and I hope many more people accept that statement too!

So now looking back, my writing career has taken off with this year being the busiest to date. I’ve now been either mentioned or have written for many magazines including Deer and Deer Hunting, Mathews, Field and Stream and several others. It’s amazing how things can change in just a few years. In fact, I’ve made many Friends here on PSO and would find it hard to close this chapter in my life if I decide to move on from PSO. I would certainly wish we would stay in contact no matter what happens!

With bow season just starting to ramp up, I think we have something to look forward to. Another busy season with hopefully many stories to write about, laugh about and to learn from will hopefully follow. This is MY time of year and I look forward to getting out into the timber every minute I can. From here, I sincerely wish nothing but good times for my readers and personally want to thank each and every one of you for stopping by and sharing your interest with me!

Here’s to a banner season!  Good luck to all!

Early in the year, I started out with a new piece of property. Not knowing anything about it, I studied a satellite image of the property. From there, I walked the timber, the creek beds, grassy areas and whatever else I came across. After determining three spots that looked promising, I placed a trail camera at each location. One spot was a pure dud and I later realized it was only used during the rut, so I pulled that camera after a month. The other two produced big bucks right off the bat. After analyzing both spots, I decided one area would be too difficult to haul a deer out of because of the standing crops, so I opted to focus on the last place. I gathered the other two cameras and placed them on opposite ends of the productive trail camera and waited two weeks to check them. It appeared that my target buck was coming from one end, so I removed the unproductive camera and placed it even further back from the second camera. Throughout the summer, I walked those cameras back about 90 yards over a 2 month course ultimately finding out where he was bedding. I also realized that part of his core area happened to be on the bordering property, so I stopped at the property line. It doesn’t appear to be a problem as he beds mostly on my side and seems to feel at home on my farm. So now I have several ambush sites along this fairly long area with many opportunities to hunt from no matter what the wind is doing. In fact, If I hear noise from one of these areas, I’ll have ample time to draw and position my bow for a clean shot. It’s all in the homework! From here, all I need is a buck :-(

I used to use the same technique with string but this is much easier. I’ve officially caved in to the 21st century technology and have no regrets. Everything else I do will be the same. I can still make believe I’m an early settler trying to feed my family when I hunt from the ground and nobody will know how ill I really am   So it’s business as usual! Come on October!!!

“This popular activity is part of the fabric of our state’s culture. Half a million Minnesotans will be sharing this tradition throughout the state this November 6th. To honor the great deer hunting tradition, educate our youth and promote ethical hunting practices” is what is stated in the brochure they sent me. Can you imaging that for Illinois? In fact, that’s what I have been imagining for Illinois! I think I may just start an annual Illinois celebration right before our opener, what do you think?

To make this all possible, the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association http://www.mndeerhunters.com  have been planning this event. If you want to read more of what they do, please click on the aforementioned link. They’re a great group of people who are willing to promote deer hunting and will offer advice to anyone interested in learning. I really love that about them because with their willingness to share information, it makes it easier for anyone else to proceed with this concept and to expand these ideas into other states. We need more of these state wide events to keep from losing what we are fighting to keep! The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is funded by businesses and individuals through donations, so if you are interested in helping out, please check them out!

OK, I’m going to cover this story when I go there, so if it’s everything I think it will be, I’m going to plan such an event for Illinois if it seems feasible! I’m thinking more along the lines of a September party with seminars and workshops and vendors that can have products ready when YOU need them, which is right before the season starts! Again, what do you think?

All feedback is appreciated!

So with the predictions so great, how does a person advance into a successful hunt? For starters, by making fewer mistakes! Yes, it’s possible to blow perfect conditions and to ruin perfect hunts. In fact, I’m the king of mistakes! I make some of the stupidest mistakes for a veteran hunter, so you would think I would proceed with caution each time I go out. Well, I do but it’s the mistakes I forget about that catch me off guard. I don’t know why it is but most of my mistakes are in the first couple weeks of bow season each year. Maybe it’s because of the rust I’ve gathered in the previous months. Whatever reason, I’m going to try to not make the same mistakes this year! This year I made a mock hunt into the woods by walking out to a predetermined place, still hunting without any weapons and I even climbed a tree stand just to think things out. It helped! It brings back years of experience and reminds me of what not to do and what to do. OK, I think I’m ready!

Now, as far as the hunt goes, I’m reminding myself not to educate the deer early into the season. Wow, does that make a difference! These deer are so smart even the smallest details don’t get past them. I’m going to take my time and wait for the right moment. If I kill something, I’m going to try my best in not disturbing everything around me when I field dress it and haul it out. That seems to send a message more than anything else. They HATE four wheelers! Tractors or farm equipment seem to be OK but they know something isn’t right when they hear that Polaris moving through the timber. I just cringe when I hear someone telling me that they take their four wheeler back to their favorite location when ready to hunt!

One last point to remember here is to take proper care of that deer when you kill it! In the early season especially, you have to cool that hide down now! If you don’t want to eat “gamy” deer, prepare it like the slaughter house prepares beef. They DON’T let it sit there with the guts in it! They kill it, gut it and the refrigerate it in speedy fashion. There is no such thing as “gamy”. “Gamy” is meat that has begun to spoil. Remember that! If you kill a bruiser, you need to get that hide cooled down to avoid “slipping” of the hair. Slipping is where the hair falls off and in many cases, you’ll never know it until you tan it, which of course, is too late. I have hunters come into my shop and tell me that their deer has sat in their garage in 60-70 degree weather for 3 days and others that tell me that “It’s OK, it was in a refrigerator all week” and so forth. Even refrigerated, that simply isn’t enough. It must be cooled down and removed from the carcass by your taxidermist ASAP to insure a quality mount.

OK, I’ve refreshed your memory, now no mistakes this year! Live it, hunt it and enjoy it!

Wolves numbers will be decreased!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39017137/ns/us_news-environment

1. When field scoring a buck before I shoot, make sure I go directly to the G-4 tine if it has one. If it has one, make sure it is at least 4” tall because chances are if it is, it will be in the 150” range. If it doesn’t, it better have tall eye brow tines or it will most likely be under size for my taste. FYI, I choose to do this because I would rather let a 140” walk and grow. I simply don’t need another 140” buck. Years ago I would have loved to shoot a 140”, so it’s a personal goal for me! There’s nothing wrong for anyone to shoot a 140” or less deer! I thought I’d better add that to be politically correct (and because I actually believe it) !

10. Rubber gloves for field dressing. I used to be all rough and tough but in my tender old age, I hate having blood and guts stuck under my finger nails all day long when I’m away from fresh water. They’re cheap!
Now if you want to consider some other stuff, here’s some stuff you may want to look at! A company called Big Game Drag Glove makes, you guessed it, a big game drag glove that really gives you a mechanical advantage when dragging your dead deer. They’re priced very reasonable and make easier work out of moving your deer. Check them out at: http://www.biggamedragglove.com If you want to film your bow hunt on a budget, pick up a Bowpix bracket so you can mount your digital camera to your bow. It is a good alternative to hauling a huge camera and bracket! http://www.bowpix.com . If you hate bugs like I do, pick up a Thermacell! They work! In fact, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. OK, now I’ll get someone to email me to say differently :-(

Bottom line: Start thinking now! I’ll post some other stuff in the near future. Happy hunting!

I found one of my “magic” spots early on and it seems to be THE place for me. I’ll hunt it from the ground but because of its surroundings, I placed a climbing stand close by. The buck I’m going to hunt doesn’t move more than an estimated 80 yards all day from where I placed my stand. It was very difficult getting in there and I’m sure he either saw me or winded me while working there. If he did, he didn’t bust, so that was a good sign. This place is so thick with briars, brush and trees, I literally had to cut my way in. My son asked me: “Dad, with all of this timber along this bean field, how did you decide to place it at that particular location?” As we sat in my truck and looked down this 3 acre section of bean field, I asked him to look down the timber line and tell me what you see different. After looking for about 30 seconds, he nailed it, much to my surprise. He said: “There’s a little bit of change in the timber line, is that it?” He was right! It was hard to tell but there was an area where the bucks had been eating or “browsing” the leaves and stems from the trees making the trees to appear that they were trimmed with a hedge shear. That’s all it took for me (along with my 200 yard rule) to decide on hunting that spot this season. After placing a trail camera there for the last 4 weeks, my suspicions came true. Monster city! Looking beyond that point, big buck sign from the past several years was more than evident. BINGO! Now there’s nothing guaranteed in this business, so we’ll see what unfolds here. 

I did notice a few trees that were freshly rubbed with velvet hanging off of them. It won’t be long where they’ll all be showing bare bone. I also noticed a few scrapes that caught me by surprise! Once looking at those scrapes, I realized a mistake I had made a year or so ago when replying to an email from one of my readers. He asked me about these early season scrapes and I responded to him by saying that they must have been from last season. Strike one for Marc! I was wrong! This was one trait I failed to recognize in my years of bow hunting, so to right the wrong here, yes, they do scrape now and then early in the season. Why they do it, well, there are several reasons but nothing that needs to be addressed to help you with your bow season. My apologies!

With the cooler weather and the crops coming out earlier this year, I think we’ll be seeing more activity soon! In fact, I was surprised to see several farms harvesting corn yesterday in Fulton, Peoria and Schuyler counties. If you haven’t got your favorite places ready to go, better get out there! I do recommend finishing up soon so your hunting grounds can settle down a bit before the season gets here.

Won’t be long!

One interesting thing I noticed in the woods today was the rubbed trees. I didn’t have my camera with me or I would have taken some pictures. I found a few trees that were shredded with velvet stuck to them. I jumped a buck in the woods around 11:00 a.m. and as he started to run, I simply started walking in the opposite direction. It puzzled him, so he stopped to look at me. Sometimes if you act nonchalant and uninterested, they won’t feel threatened. He just watched me walk out calmly and ended up not spooking. I hate spooking deer because they catch on so quickly and often stomp their hooves leaving danger scent for the others to smell. Once they do that, that spot is marked as a caution area for some time. I don’t want to start the season with educated deer!

Enjoy the pictures!

That’s my prediction. Of course, now that I’ve said it, I’ll get skunked. That’s OK if I do because my prediction is for all hunters in Illinois. I’ll tell you why I think we’re going to have a great year. With last year’s standing corn issues, we most likely won’t have that problem this year as the weather is cooperating and the crops should be out in decent time. Even if you don’t think deer live in the standing corn, they most certainly will run and hide in it when spooked! With several million square miles of corn standing last year, they had plenty of places to stay put. When they have so much cover, it’s inevitable that they’ll live and grow a bit more.

Here in central IL. I’ve noticed an increase in deer for the first time in almost a decade. Places that I monitor for activity are jumping with 2.5 year old deer. In areas that won’t hold deer past gun season, that’s a major improvement. In an area where hunters don’t use any management whatsoever, that’s an even greater sign. Places that held 3.5 and older deer are now holding record class deer. Add the fact that many hunters were complaining of not seeing many deer last year, that’s an incredible thing! There is only one reason for this: Last year’s corn!

Maybe this is Mother Nature’s way of increasing the herd when state management won’t? The same happens in reverse when too many deer run wild: Mother Nature sends EHD, Blue Tongue and other diseases to take over. We either manage these animals or nature will do it for us! Heed this warning Chicago land! Let the bow hunters control the deer heard in these urban areas!

All indicators are pointing for some real giants to be harvested this year, so get out and see what’s in your neck of the woods. I for one, am excited just to be able to shoot does this year! I’ve been backing off does here in central IL. for years just to let the herd grow a bit (only to watch the bordering properties massacre what’s left). Since I’ll be adding west central IL. to my list of places this year, I’ll happily shoot the does over there since not too many hunters will. I absolutely love to shoot does and the food will not go to waste!

OK, my predictions are in. I haven’t seen such a difference in 8 of the counties I’ve been scouting in the past 9 years as I have this year, so here’s to a great year!

If you’re not ready for the fall hunt, you have better get with it! Opening day is NOT the time to begin the thinking process. Remember, some of the best deer hunting is in the first 2 weeks of October, so don’t let it pass you by! I’m going to post my annual “Hit List” soon on what products I’ve tested this year that were the best in their field, so you don’t have to guess. I’ve tested some really great stuff and some not-so great stuff but because I’m kind, I’ll only post the great stuff, unless I feel a company is trying to swindle you, then I’ll be all over it

If you’re a tree stand hunter, start shooting from an elevated position for practice. I shoot from all sorts of positions when I practice. I like to shoot from a back yard deck that’s elevated, from the sides of gullies, small hills overlooking trails, bottom ground shooting upwards, etc. You NEVER know where that next deer will come from, so be prepared! Know your arrow and its flight path! No second guessing.

If you’re like me, it seems like I always make some really stupid mistakes in my first few trips into the woods! You would think after nearly 40 years in the timber, I would remember what NOT to do. I think it’s inevitable for me to screw something up, so I try to focus each year what I did the previous year and to avoid a similar situation. Mistakes or not, I’m looking forward to another Illinois season!

How about you?

Dear Marc, 

On behalf of Governor Tim Pawlenty, we invite you to attend the 2010 8th Annual Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener in Little Falls, Minnesota.
Now that’s what I’m talking about! I’m all for a Governor who promotes hunting for all. This isn’t just about hunting with an outfitter either. It’s about getting people into the woods and giving them a place to hunt. It’s about listening to what the hunters need and to make every effort to deliver. It’s about getting the next generation involved and educated. Minnesota is doing it right. This is going to be a 2 day party and celebration and oh yes, hunting!

What I especially like about this idea is the fact that the Governor is actually involved. When you get the Governor involved, it means something more than just a speech while he’s standing at a podium for a news clip. I was once told that Governor Jim Edgar was a great Governor primarily because he took the time to get involved. As I understand it, he was one of the few Governor’s who actually attended many of the outdoor events and shared his joy with the people who participated in the outdoor activities. When you have someone at the top supporting the outdoorsmen/women, it means a lot! It solidifies the tradition and confirms the fact that these are not just ways to generate revenue but rather to continue OUR heritage. Good for Governor Tim Pawlenty (and for Jim Edgar)!

I was told that this event will pay special tribute to the military and servicemen/women also. So in summary, this will be a flat out celebration with many things to do and see throughout the 2 day event. Way to go Minnesota, I’ve always wanted Illinois to have a special day or two set aside to celebrate what a great state we have to hunt deer and turkey in. You know, with some sort of recognition from our leaders, maybe the rest of the non-hunting world wouldn’t look so down on us. I think it’s time to have a Governor or DNR supported bash! What do you think?

It never fails, when you give advice, it always comes back to haunt you! After mentioning to the boys to “lead the clay pidgeons” or to “shoot them right out of the hole”, when it was my turn, it was me that needed to do the “leading , etc”. Nevertheless, it was all about fun and it was fun we had! Thanks to the people at Northwoods for putting on another great event!

My first impression was the multitude of old timers I spoke with during my lifetime. I’ve met some real knowledgeable men in my days who knew the land (and the animals they hunted) with surprising knowledge. I loved talking to the old guys because they had nothing to prove. They weren’t out for fame or fortune and their eyes just twinkled when speaking of a particular hunt. I could tell they really loved their sport! I was always impressed by how much they knew and the tactics they used. Their English was a bit off and their clothes were not correctly matched but they loved life in the outdoors. Maybe that was why I was so drawn to them.

Then, I started thinking about a guy I once knew who always had a plan B when trying to get his buck. Since plan A rarely worked, I was impressed that eventually he always seem to make it work. I liked the fact that he never gave up. I never had much sympathy for anyone who didn’t have any fun hunting when getting skunked, but this guy would just smile and say “I’ll get him another day”. I could tell he just enjoyed being outdoors.

What started out as a simple question became a real real brain twister for me. Eventually, I found him though!

This person loves the outdoors enough that he really doesn’t care if he scores every time he heads out to the timber. He enjoys watching the leaves turn colors in the fall, watching the sun come up and go down, listening to the birds chip when they wake up, the animals feeding and so forth. When he does harvest a deer, he gives thanks, uses all of the meat from the animal, places the remains in a spot so the other animals can feed from them and then feels grateful for such a wonderful event. In addition to the hunt, he sometimes goes out of his way to take another person who isn’t so fortunate, with him, in an attempt to give him/her the joy that he feels (even if it means no harvest for him). This person takes the time to explain to children the importance of hunting and managing wildlife for the sake of future generations. When time permits, he will voice his concerns/comments for all to listen, hoping it will benefit other hunters sometime in the future. He’s the type of guy who truly enjoys seeing someone else harvest an amazing animal with absolutely no jealousy or envy whatsoever. In fact, this person gets more pleasure from watching a child’s face light up when in the wild, that he would if it were him.

So in essence, the best whitetail hunter in America lives somewhere not too far from us! He’s the guy who we don’t hear too much about. He’s rarely, if ever, on TV. He could be your Grandparent, father or mother, brother and maybe a combination of them.

Do you know who he/she is?

On another note, I just finished writing chapter 5 out of 14 in my new book this week. I don’t think I’ll ever get it finished! Man, that’s a lot of work, especially if you have a lot to talk about. Next comes all of the pictures. I wish I knew how to draw good as that would save a bunch of time. Oh well, maybe by next year I’ll have it finished???

Below are some pictures that Paul Rients sent me of a fawn and a turkey! Enjoy! Hopefully, I’ll have some more from my cameras later this week.

Here’s some from my Kansas location:

For some reason I think this is going to be a banner year. Despite the controversy regarding last year’s standing corn, I do think some of the bigger bucks were harboring themselves in it thus avoiding death. If that’s true, we should see some real monsters this year! I’ve got one really nice stud of an 8 pointer here on one camera but the best pictures yet were destroyed! One of my SD cards went corrupt as soon as I plugged it into my computer and ate every one of the pictures. One of those was an absolute monster that was already in the B&C club! Of course, it would be THAT SD card that burnt! My luck!!!

Anyway, enjoy the pictures and keep sending them to me. We all love to see them…bucks or does!

Here’s what I found on mine:

John Currie sent these: